Aiming to determine an availability of the erythrocyte protoporphyrin level as a biological parameter for early diagnosis and detection in the precision physical examination for lead poisoning in lead workers, the following study was carried out during May 1 through Sep. 30, 1984. The determination of erythrocyte protoporphyrin level, blood lead, urine delta-aminolevulinic acid, urine coproporphyrin, hemoglobin, hamatocrit in lead workers were examined for 16 battery workers, 92 lead smelters, 68 lead solders and 47 printing workers.
Supplementary, the determination of erythrocyte protoporphyrin-level was examined for 109 health male adults and 42 Ni & Cr plating workers who had not occupational exposed to lead and´, its compounds.
Lead concentration in working environment was also measured for finding out lead and´ its compounds.
The distribution of erytlrz)cyte protoporphyrin level in healthy male adults was analysed with log normal probability paper test for setting of normal values in the screening test. The obtained data from the lead workers was examined by simple regression analysis and stepwise multiple regression analysis in order to finding out the relationship between erythrocyte protoporphyrin level and blood lead, urine delta-aminolevulinic acid, urine coproporphyrin, hemoglobin, hematocrit.
The results were obtained as follows:
1. In healthy male adults who had not occupational exposed to lead, the distribution of erythrocyte protoporphyrin; level showed to be log normal. Arithmetic mean and standard deviation was 35. 1±
10. 8pg/dl with geometric mean 33.6og/dl. 2. When values of erythrocyte protoporphyrin level: showed 84.6±52.3ug/dl in lead I, workers_ which was significantly higher than the healthy male adults on one hand and on the other; mean values of erythrocyte protoporphyrin level showed 33.1±13.2pg/dl in Ni & Cr plating ´workers which was significantly lower than the lead workers.
It was shown in the study that the higher lead concentration of working environment, the higher r the erythrocyte. protoporphyrin level of lead workers, and also the higher correlation coefficients i between erythrocyte protoporphyrin and blood lead, urine delta aminolevulinic acid, urine coproporphyrine, hemoglobin and hematocrit. .
4. The correlation coefficient between erythrocyte protoporphyrin and, blood lead showed r=0.64, therefore with blood lead only as an independent variable (blood lead), erythrocyte protoporphyrin -level may be easily predicted as the predicted variable.
5. In dose-effect relationship between blood lead and erythrocyte protoporphyrin, urine delta-aminolevulinic acid, urine coproporphyrin for lead workers, the value of erythrocyte protoporphyrin began to increase at 30 to 35tg/dl of blood lead. Compared with erythrocyte protoporphyrin, delayed onset of increase in urine delta-aminolevulinic acid and urine coproporphyrin were observed:,
In short, it was recommended that the measurement of erythrocyte protoporphyrin was available as a ;biological indicator of screening test for detection of early effect of lead and its compounds in lead -workers, and it was also suggested that the screening level of erythrocyte protoporphyrin between 100
and 120ug/dl was able to apply in detection for lead poisoning
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